Indian Engineer Killed In Attack On US-Owned Oil Tanker Near Iraq

Mumbai: An Indian engineer was killed after a US-owned oil tanker operating near Iraq was struck in a suspected drone attack near Iraq amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. The deceased has been identified as Devanandan Prasad Singh.

He was serving as the additional chief engineer aboard the tanker MT Safesea Vishnu. Singh, who was in his mid-50s, had been living in Kandivali East in Mumbai since 2019 with his wife and two children after moving from Bihar, sources said.

According to officials, the vessel was targeted during a coordinated underwater drone strike on ships in the region amid the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel. The vessel was near the Khor al-Zubair port, close to Basra, Iraq, on Wednesday when it was targeted.

Singh sustained critical injuries in the explosion and later died while undergoing treatment, authorities said. Fifteen other Indian crew members aboard the tanker were rescued safely from the burning vessel. The Embassy of India in Baghdad confirmed the casualty on the day of the attack and said it was in touch with local authorities regarding the incident.

Maritime agencies have initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the strike on the tanker to ascertain the nature of the attack and the specific conditions under which it took place.

The shipping company managing the vessel expressed condolences over Singh’s death and said it would extend full support to his family. It also confirmed that the remaining crew members were safe and receiving assistance.

Singh had spent decades working at sea as a marine engineer, overseeing operations on cargo vessels. His family, based in Mumbai, has been informed of the tragedy and is awaiting further details from authorities.

Security concerns have intensified in the Gulf region following attacks on commercial shipping. Iranian authorities had earlier warned that vessels attempting to pass through the strategic Strait of Hormuz could be targeted as tensions escalated in the region.

The rapidly escalating West Asia war has already pulled the surrounding countries into deep turmoil and uncertainty as explosions were heard repeatedly in Doha, Bahrain, UAE, among others. The war which was triggered after the US and Israel jointly launched airstrikes into the Iranian territory on February 28, entered its day 14 on Friday. US and Israel targeted Iran's top leadership, military bases and energy facilities. It led to the death of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei bringing a nearly 40-year era to an abrupt closure, and altering the geopolitical situation in the region.

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